Live Laugh Learn Ottawa Bound!

So what does laughing have to do with breast cancer? When you are diagnosed with breast cancer, especially at a young age, laughter is something that is greatly needed! 

I was diagnosed at 31 years old with a 7-month-old son. At the time I found it really difficult to find someone that could relate to my situation. I was on maternity leave and going to “Mommy and Me” classes felt very isolating. You are with all these happy first time Moms, like you, except that you have this weight on your shoulders called cancer. Also, during treatment it is difficult to go out in public because your blood counts are much lower and you are at higher risk for infection and illness. When you reach out to cancer support systems in the community you soon realize that they are geared towards an older age group. Many of the women I had met had children that were my age. They could not relate to my concerns around fertility, going through treatment while raising a baby, etc. As a result, I wanted to make a difference for other young women in Ottawa that were going through breast cancer so that they would not feel as isolated as I did.

Then I contacted Rethink Breast Cancer and begged them to bring their Live Laugh Learn program to Ottawa. Live Laugh Learn is a great program where an expert comes in to speak with young breast cancer survivors. The experts vary from oncologists to all-natural make-up consultants. The survivors not only get to learn something but they get an opportunity to socialize with other young women who know exactly what they have been through.

It did not take long for us to gather 6 volunteers in Ottawa to help organize the program. We had our first meeting in August, at my house with our 6 volunteers and Farheen and Jen from Rethink Breast Cancer. It was such an amazing night for me to be in the same room as 5 other breast cancer survivors who were around my age. These women are extremely strong and caring; they too had the goal to reduce the feeling of isolation for those out there facing the same challenges as we are.

We have been in contact with Lululemon in Westboro here in Ottawa and it looks like we may be able to host our first Live Laugh Learn later this year. I am thrilled and cannot wait to bring this amazing program to Ottawa. If anyone in the Ottawa area is interested in helping or attending these sessions, please contact Jen Lagzdins, Coordinator, Support & Education Programs, at jen@rethinkbreastcancer.com. Also, if you would like to learn more about my story, please visit my website. I created it to update family and friends on my progress and my volunteer initiatives, but found that it has helped a lot of young women facing breast cancer: https://www.mylifeline.org//Cat/

-  Catherine Birch, 

Live Laugh Learn Committee Member, Ottawa